Squirm

Far better and more interesting than the obvious schlock appeal its plot would suggest: a small town is terrorised by a plague of lethal worms. In his debut, Lieberman reveals a genuine talent and ambitiousness (subsequently confirmed by Blue Sunshine), turning the film into a variation on the sexual paranoia theme, distinguished by his tendency to present his characters - especially the mother of the two wittily-observed girls who are central to the story - as keyed-up to an unexplained pitch of barely-controlled hysteria. The whole thing resembles a black Famous Five adventure. The atmosphere of the Georgia swampland locations is convincing, and the excellent special effects deliver the requisite shocks. Slyly entertaining stuff.